The Hatake Legacy
by Angel Fantasy
Summary: My take on how the overall history of Naruto could have changed had Konoha's White Fang still been alive when the events started unfolding themselves. Enter Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi, both nukenins, who try to protect the Leaf from afar without getting caught and killed in the process. Third Shinobi War era. Multiple pairings and more info inside.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _So. It's been years since I last posted anything in any story of mine, and I feel nostalgic at starting again after all this time spent simply reading and reviewing other stories. (Yes, I went silent but didn't go away, there's a difference here XD) If any of you guys who have me on your alert list still follow me, I'll say right now I'm very impressed and equally thankful for your endless patience. God knows that'll help you in real life._

 _This story came up while I was writing another one (check the end of my profile to know more). I wanted inspiration for battles and went browsing through Naruto for that, because to me it's the knock-out ace for brawls of all kinds. The plot bunnies started flying after I pretty much fell head over heels for Kakashi-sensei..  
_

 _Hatake Sakumo also caught my attention. He's the man whose ideals started everything in Naruto's world (Obito followed his ideals, knocked them into Kakashi, who taught them to Naruto...), and it all snowballed out from there. Yet he was never thanked for his troubles. Kishimoto also never revived him through Edo-Tensei (plot hole?), so apart from the fact that he's a great sword-user, possibly has the ninken contract and is on par with (if not above) the Sannin in terms of power, we know nothing about the great ninja he used to be before Konoha disgraced him._

 _That's why I decided to make a story for him. The man deserves to be acknowledged properly, and I want to see how much his presence in the Naruto world will change things and people, starting with his own son... and his sensei. Who knows how Minato will live his life without little Kakashi to watch over?_

 _The possibilities and 'what-if' scenarios are endless, and though I will do my best to stick to canon, there are high chances that it will also deviate from it. That's why, without further ado, I'm presenting you **The Hatake Legacy** , which I hope will inspire other writers out there into making their own stories about this powerful ninja known as Konoha's White Fang._

 _ **Disclaimer:** I  do not own Naruto. That right belongs to Kishimoto-san.  
_

 _ **Warning** : This story is rated M because it will address Het and, eventually, Yaoi couples. If the latter is not your cup of tea, the back button is easy to click on. You have been warned...  
_

* * *

Sakumo walked through the hall of his house, carrying the last of the dozen scrolls he'd spent the last few weeks filling up. He edged down the stairs without making a sound or even being felt; the wood beneath his feet never creaked, and the air stood unmoved behind him. He paused at the end of the stairs and listened; no one was close by.

He went to the kitchen, where another scroll lay open on the table. There was a bag next to it, plus his Jounin jacket and weapon pouch. His eyes lingered on the blade that had earned him his title; the White Chakra Sabre laid peacefully on the table's center, seemingly daring him to unsheathe it. The temptation was strong; it was dark, he was alone and his son was asleep, there would be no one to stop hi—

He tore his gaze away and took a deep breath. _I can do this._

He crossed the room with determined steps that contrasted starkly with the turmoil in his heart. He counted and double-checked everything ranging from money, clothes, weapons, food rations and medical kits to Ninjutsu scrolls, soldier pills and camping equipment one last time, and finally sealed everything but his jacket and blade into the table scroll. The Jounin jacket felt tight around his chest; he'd added two tank tops and a second long-sleeved shirt to those he already wore so he could stay warm at night without the use of his chakra, so it was a close fit.

He stuffed the sealing scroll into one of his front pockets and strapped his blade to his back without looking at it. Sakumo had debated for days whether to leave it behind or not; he was sure Kakashi would have grown to use it like a pro. On the other hand, this same blade had taken part in the crime that now disgraced the Hatake Clan; leaving Kakashi with it meant forcing him to bear part of the blame in his place. And that was something Sakumo would never do to his son.

 _Kakashi..._

His gaze strayed to the hall, and to the door at the end of it situated on its right side. Kakashi was asleep and blissfully unaware of what was going on, and Sakumo intended to keep it that way. He didn't want to drag the only family member he had left into the bottom of the abyss with his own shameful self.

As much as it tore his heart to leave him behind (something he swore he would _never do_ ), he knew that Minato would take care of him. Nurture him, raise him in his stead, and be a better shinobi model to the last Hatake than the White Fang had ever been to his own son. It was for the best.

Sakumo had been so sure that the path he had chosen had been the right one... But now, with the village, he knew better.

But he couldn't just shake off his ideals and move on without them. He'd grown up with them; they were part of him now. Kakashi was just a child; it was not too late to make a shinobi out of him which Konoha could be proud of. He was salvageable. Sakumo wasn't.

That was why the White Fang would disappear tonight.

Before _that_ mission, loyalty had been Sakumo's best trait. Now it was his biggest flaw, because despite all the hate and scorn thrown his way, he still couldn't smother the love he felt for the land that had birthed him. Seeing it angry and sad made his heart bleed, and knowing it was _his_ fault just made him feel even more guilty.

He'd tried several times to commit seppuku. He'd held his family's blade to his stomach in the dark of night so many times he'd lost count, ready to strike and _end it all_... But had failed every time, because his body (his _instincts_ ) had stilled his hands and left him frozen on the floor, filled with a desperate need to live. The reason for his duality had been very enlightening.

Sakumo couldn't muster the courage to kill himself because each time he tried, his conscience (his _loyalty_ ) surged up to ask him one very simple question: How would he protect Konoha if he took his own life?

He had shed blood, sweat, tears and discarded his own innocence so others could live peaceful lives. He'd become Konoha's White Fang to keep its people safe. He was one of the village's best shinobi... one of its finest protectors, of equal strength to that of the Legendary Sannin. His power had always benefited the Leaf before.

And yet he'd failed the village. The work of a lifetime, dragged in the dirt and thrown to hell... all because of a single _mission_. He felt like trash.

 _What is done, is done,_ his inner voice had reminded him. _You cannot change the past, but you can change the future. Konoha may not want you anymore, but it doesn't mean it won't need you._ _The village is_ _not_ _invincible. It could still fall._

He had shuddered at the very thought.

' _Do you really want to kill yourself,_ _when that would mean leaving Konoha minus one of its best shinobi to help her defend against_ _the_ _enemy?'_

His stomach had twisted itself in knots, and his hands had shaken uncontrollably.

 _'Do you really want to throw your life away, when you could save hundreds of them?'_

He'd spent nights tossing and turning in his bed, haunted by that very question.

 _'Do you really want to leave your son_ _in the care of people who could_ _turn on him like they did with you_ _?'_

That had been the last straw. People could mistreat him all they wanted, but no one could hurt his son. No one was allowed to bring him down when he had done nothing to deserve it.

The fault was all on him, and him only. If there indeed were future traitors in Konoha's ranks, then it was his job as Kakashi's... sire... to snatch them away before their twisted desire for retribution led them to harm his child.

Kakashi would succeed where he had failed in life. Of that, Sakumo swore it on the shattered pieces of his dignity. The fire in him might not be there anymore, but the embers were still glowing. He would make it work, no matter what.

 _That's a promise, Kakashi._

But Konoha had made it clear that he wasn't welcome anymore, either. How could he keep an eye on both his home and his son if his presence was an eyesore to the villagers?

The answer had been posted on a pole by a shop. He'd henged into a civilian and gone shopping when his eye had caught the poster face of a missing girl from another country. His mind had instantly drawn up a certain book that all villages shared, a book that held a descriptive list plus a bounty on the head of every shinobi that had turned rogue in history.

A nukenin...

...

...

...

... If becoming a nukenin—if fading into the _shadows_ —meant he could protect his son and help Konoha (reduce the collateral damage his failure would soon throw its way) without both ever knowing who really did it, then...

Then... it was worth a try.

He went over to the living room and, after making sure once more that no one was nearby, dispelled the Genjustsu that laid there. He pulled out an old wooden box and carefully knelt down; the container had passed the last decade non-dusted, and he didn't want to startle Kakashi awake with a sneezing fit. Another look around, and he disabled the three ANBU traps that protected it. A seal appeared after the last trap disappeared; Sakumo gently bit his thumb and dragged his blood across it.

The box opened. Inside it was a white and green scroll that fit perfectly into his hand; the ninken contract. The very treasure he had created out of his own sweat and blood.

Kakashi's name was in it. That had been his birthday gift last year, and he'd quickly mastered the invocation, so there was no need to leave him the scroll. The less he inherited from him, the better the village would treat him. (He hoped so, at least.)

Konoha already had a whole clan of dog users at its disposal, too, so there was no need to add any more trackers to their ranks.

Speaking of trackers... It hadn't escaped his notice that the hot-tempered Inuzukas had been surprisingly passive towards him. Working with dogs for generations left them with a deep understanding of how far and deep true loyalty could run, so as much as they might disapprove of his mission failure, they had no room to complain whenever the White Fang scandal came into topic.

That was a good sign. It meant his son still had a chance to find acceptance within a group similar to his own; he could even find love in it, if he tried hard enough. The elder Hatake only regretted that he wouldn't be there to congratulate Kakashi if a marriage _did_ happen, and moreso that he wouldn't be here to help him through parenthood.

He carefully closed the box, put it back in its hidden cache and reactivated the Genjutsu, but not the traps. The ninken contract disappeared into the front of his jacket and he stood up, walking for the nearby window. After checking both ways to see if the coast was clear (no sleep-walking Kakashi, no resentful teammates, no ANBU or ROOT agents nearby), he slipped away to the private gardens at the back of the compound.

He couldn't help but pause and take one last look back. The Hatake Clan lands had hosted many generations of his family, and it held many good memories to him. He was leaving home for good this time, so the least he could do was commit the place to memory one final time before he departed.

He sighed. He would miss Konoha. He would miss home. But most of all, he would miss his son. Hopefully Kakashi wouldn't hold it against him _too_ much once he realized his sire had not only brought shame to the family, but become a nukenin as well.

"Goodbye, Kakashi..." He whispered into the dark of night, fist tightening around his bag strap. "And... I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

Sakumo whipped around, looking for all intents and purposes like a deer caught in headlights.

Kakashi stood in the garden before him, clad in his Chuunin gear and clothes. He was armed, had a bag slung over his shoulder, and though for once his masked face didn't show anything, Sakumo knew instantly that he'd been waiting for him.

The realization came as a shock. _How had he known?_ "... Kakashi? What are you doing up at this hour?"

"I could ask the same of you, dad. Why are you up? And what are you sorry for?"

Sakumo frowned. "You should be in bed." he said, ignoring the second question.

"So should you." Kakashi's eyes trailed down to his hand. "... Did you bottle-feed Pakkun again?"

"No."

"Then why did you bite your thumb? You're bleeding."

Sakumo marveled at his son's senses for a whole second before remembering to answer back. "It's nothing for you to worry about. Please go back to bed; a long day awaits you tomorrow and you'll be very tired if you don't get some sleep." He put on his best reassuring smile.

"No."

 _What?_

Kakashi squared his shoulders. "I don't want to go to sleep. Not when you're about to leave."

"Kakashi..."

Kakashi's blank face broke; he stared at him with equal parts determination and need. His free hand clenched; his breath hitched, and a myriad of emotions flashed in his eyes too quickly for Sakumo to understand them all. His voice was so low the elder Hatake had to strain his ears to catch his next words. "I want to come with you."

The request was a punch to the gut. Guilt tore violently at his heart, and next thing he knew, he'd crossed the distance between them to pull Kakashi into a hug. "I'm sorry." He rasped out. "I'm so, so _sorry_ Kakashi, but I can't—"

" _No!"_ Kakashi's bag dropped to the ground; two deceptively frail arms warped around his neck and desperately clung to his back. "I don't _want_ to stay here! Not without you—"

"Please, son, I'm doing this for you. I'm a lost cause, but you still have a chance—"

"The village already hates me."

Silence.

"...What?" Sakumo whispered, horrified.

Kakashi's hold tightened. "I try to ignore them, I really do, but I can't shut out the whispers, the death glares, the hate—it's all around me. They look at me and they see you; they whisper about the traitor's son and wonder how long it'll take before I repeat your mistake. I'm already a bad guy in their eyes."

The elder Hatake shook his head. "That can't be. You didn't do anything wrong—"

Kakashi twitched.

"... You didn't, did you?"

The silence was quite telling. Sakumo's stomach dropped to his feet.

"Hatake Kakashi, _what have you done?_ "

"They deserved it." came the whisper against his shoulder. "Some drunk idiots saw me walk down the street and hailed me. They wanted to know how badly you had failed that mission, and when I ignored them, they started to guess out loud."

"Their theories were all ridiculous and completely wrong, and I would've gone on my way, but..."

Sakumo held his breath. "But...?"

"I... I heard them mock you. Spit at your name, drag it in the mud, stomp on it, add some bad insults to it and I... I just couldn't take it anymore. I told them to take all their words back or _else_ , and when one of them started laughing I punched him in the jaw. He won't ever talk again."

The White Fang was at a loss for words. "But why...?" he finally murmured.

His son glared back at him with such fury he almost took a step back. Almost. "You're my _dad_. My father, the White Fang Hatake Sakumo, who would rather save the lives of his teammates than continue a mission gone bad." Kakashi broke their gaze to bury his head under his neck. "You're nice. You meant well. You're a good guy. You've done nothing wrong. _Nothing_. That's why... That's why I'll trash anyone who badmouths my hero. I won't ever let them shame you again for a crime you never did."

The elder Hatake stared ahead with wide eyes, the words ringing in his heads like a mantra. _My hero..._

The broken heart inside him gave such a painful surge he almost whimpered. The feeling spread through his limbs, a thousands little needles piercing his skin, and something hot and burning coiled in his chest. He trembled.

"Do you... Do you really..."

His throat clogged up. He took a shaky breath.

"Do you really... _really_..."

"Really what... ?"

 _Kakashi.._ _._ "... Do you... really... mean that? Do you..."

 _Do you really see me as a hero?_

 _Do you really see me as a role model?_

 _Do you really see me as a man worthy of being... your father?_

Kakashi looked at him in the eye and said, "Yes."

Sakumo broke.

His knees buckled; his butt hit the ground with a muffled thud. " _Kakashi_..." He choked, tears streaking down his face. "I'm sorry... _I'm so sorry..._ "

Kakashi squirmed in his grip until he let go; Sakumo barely had time to miss the warmth that was his son before he was pulled to a small chest, his head encircled in a comforting hold. " _Dad..._ "

That only made him cry more. The floodgates opened completely, weeks of repressed pain surged out of him until he was sobbing hard. He clung to the body before him like a lifeline, babbling apologies uncontrollably, and Kakashi hugged him tighter still, wetting the scalp under his face with his own tears.

"Please don't leave me, dad," He croaked out somewhere along the way.

The muffled plea only tugged more at Sakumo's bleeding heart. "I won't. N-Never again."

"P-Promise?"

"Promise," he hiccuped.

They spent the quarter of an hour shedding tears. Kakashi found his way back into Sakumo's arms once he was sure his father wouldn't cry anymore; the elder Hatake took one look at his face and almost broke down again. Instead he inched down to nuzzle his son with a watery smile, and grinned crookedly when Kakashi nuzzled him back. "I love you, son. You know that, right?"

"I know. Love you too dad."

They rubbed heads again. "... Are you sure you want to come with me?"

"Yes. I'm packed and ready to go."

"This is an irreversible decision once you're out of Konoha. This is your last chance to draw back."

Kakashi opened one eye to glare at him. "You promised."

"That I did. So?"

"So we should stop wasting time here and get out already."

"What about Minato-sensei?"

"... He has Kushina-san. He'll be fine."

Sakumo chuckled. "Alright. Come with me."

* * *

 _Indeed, what about Minato-sensei...?_

* * *

The next morning at dawn, Minato knew the second he shunshined into Training Ground 3 that this was not going to be a good day.

Kakashi was late. And for a child that went out of his way to be on time whenever the word 'training' was mentioned, being late meant something had happened to him.

Minato hiraishin-ed into the Hatake compounds with his stomach in knots. "Kakashi-kun?"

The eery silence of the place only made him more nervous. He dashed inside the house, tense and ready to block possible hits if his sudden appearance startled one or both Hatakes. There was no one in the kitchen.

He searched the living room, then the hall. Kakashi's chamber was next, followed by Sakumo's. He burst through the bathroom door and almost sagged in relief at finding the room empty of dead bodies. The second story rooms revealed nothing either, and twin mops of silver hair shone by their absence in the basement. A quick look around the backyard and private garden only told Minato one thing: it had been a while since either Hatake had summoned their ninken. No new 'gifts' had been left behind since he'd visited the family last week. The White Chakra Sabre was also missing.

"Dammit," Minato bit his thumb and summoned a messenger toad. "Sorry for the haste but please go get Jiraiya-sensei. This is an emergency!"

The toad croaked and poofed out. The Jounin ran out of the compounds and Kage Bunshined himself four times to start searching the village in all directions. While his clones ran off, Minato turned tail and roof-jumped his way to Kushina's house.

"Kushina!" He knocked twice on the door before letting himself in. "Kushina, I can't find Kakashi! Did he come over to your house last nigh—?"

"No." Konoha's current Jinchuuriki tromped down the stairs in her pyjamas, and Minato would have found her bed-ridden hair absolutely adorable had his attention not been focused on Sakumo's son. "No, he didn't. Did something happen to him?"

Minato sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. I can't find him."

Kushina watched him pace around the kitchen table with growing worry. "What do you mean, you can't find him?"

"Exactly that. We had a training session today and he never showed up. I didn't find him at his house either."

"... Maybe he's on a mission?"

"He would have warned me beforehand if that was the case. He's always done it before."

"What about Sakumo-san? Did you see him when you searched the house?"

"No, though in his case I can understand why he's laying low." Minato's voice dropped to a mere whisper. "Konoha is still sore over his supposed 'crime'."

Anger flashed in Kushina's eyes. Her chakra spiked. "Those asshol— _mphf!_ "

Minato kissed the breath out of her, and her anger along with it. "Having the Kyuubi trample the village won't make it forgive Hatake-san any faster. You know that, don't you?" he breathed against her lips.

"Mhna...?" Kushina stared dazedly back at him, face flushed and breathing a little hard. It took a few seconds to remember what they were talking about. "Oh. Right, sorry..."

Minato smiled at her (Kami-sama, she had the cutest blush _ever_ ) and stepped back. He tried not to let it go to his head that Kushina leant against the wall rather than join him at the kitchen table.

"What do we do now, then?"

"We wait for Jiraiya-sensei. He might know where Kakashi-kun and Sakumo-san are."

"I see." Kushina finally came closer. "How long will it take for him to come here?"

"Five minutes at the most." _  
_

"Five minutes... I'll go get ready. But first—" Kushina bent down and dragged him into a soul-searing kiss.

Her hair slid over her shoulders to hide their lip-locked faces in scarlet curtains, and a small groan escaped Minato when she ran her free fingers in his spiky locks. "... Stop worrying about them like that. They'll be fine, believe it."

Minato was left staring at a her derriere with thoughts completely unsuited to the moment's dire situation, and inwardly fought to drag up all the blood the love of his life had knocked south with a single kiss. Time passed and before he knew it, Kushina was dressed, armed and ready to go with one minute to spare.

She spent the remaining time making sure he wouldn't worry himself sick by massing his shoulders and telling him again and again (and _again_ ) that both Hatakes were alright. The distraction was quite effecti—

Four sets of information flooded his brain, and he startled to his feet at the same time that Jiraiya's sandals screeched to a stop on Kushina's balcony. His mentor looked frazzled. "What's this I hear about an emergency, Minato-kun?"

The verdict dropped out like a bomb. "Sakumo-san and Kakashi-kun are missing."

Jiraiya froze. "... What do you mean, they're missing?" The Sannin finally asked. "They could both be on a mission for all we know. Saying they're gone is taking it a bit far, don't you think?"

Minato shook his head. "Given how the village treats him, Sakumo-san should have been hiding at home right now. Kakashi-kun had a training session with me today at dawn, and he never showed up. My four clones also turned up empty."

They stared at each other. Minato's messenger toad was once more summoned. "Remember Hatake Sakumo, Konoha's White Fang?"

The toad nodded.

"He and his son Kakashi are nowhere to be seen. I need you to find them and report back to us as quickly as you can, alright?"

Another nod. Another poof. The Sannin waved the smoke from his face and leapt over to the neighboring block. "Follow me."

They all roof-jumped to the Hokage Tower. The Sannin didn't bother to go through the door like a civilized ninja; he went directly for the Hokage's window.

Sarutobi Hiruzen welcomed his student inside with a sigh. "To what do I owe you this unexpected visit, Jiraiya-kun?" One glance behind the Sannin made him add, "And a good day to you too, Kushina-san, Minato-kun."

"We're sorry for disturbing you at such an early hour, Hokage-sama." Konoha's future Yondaime apologized, bowing. "But we have a problem."

Hiruzen straightened in his seat. "What kind of problem?"

"Minato-kun couldn't find Sakumo-san and Kakashi-kun anywhere," Kushina bit her lips. "We wanted to know if you gave one or both of them a mission that was due to start today. Their unexpected absence is worrying us."

The Hokage was quick to shake his head. "Hatake Sakumo is emotionally unfit to take any kind of mission. Hatake Kakashi is on enforced leave so his body can recover from all the back-to-back missions we found him doing two weeks ago."

It was clear to everyone in the room that as soon as he found the culprit, Hiruzen would be having a little 'talk' with whoever had blackmailed Kakashi into spending all his free time manning enough D and C-ranks to fit an entire Genin team for a month. Minato was still angry at himself for not having noticed anything sooner until Kakashi started showing the first signs of physical burn-out.

"Minato-kun."

The blond snapped to attention. "Hai, Hokage-sama?"

"What makes you think that both Hatakes are missing?"

"Kakashi-kun never showed up for our morning spar. Sakumo-san was absent from the Hatake household. The four clones I sent to comb the village have all dispelled without seeing them either."

Hiruzen learned forward and put his chin on his hands. "Anything else?"

"... One of my clones heard a few civilians talk about a brawl that took place in the civilian shopping district yesterday evening," Minato finally said. "One of the brawlers was said to be a masked child with silver hair."

Kushina stilled, paled, and swore. " _Shit_."

Jiraiya pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of all the times to snap..."

"What happened?" Hiruzen demanded, unperturbed.

"The man's jaw got broken quite badly. Some civilians even think he won't be able to talk again."

The Hokage sat back in his chair. Before he could say anything, Jiraiya's messenger toad poofed into existence right on the desk. "I'm so sorry, Jiraiya-sama," it croaked, "But neither Hatakes are there. They're not at their house, the compounds, the training grounds, the onsen or the shopping district. They are not in the village at _all_."

"What?!"

"What makes you so sure?"

The toad took a good look around itself, taking in the office, the desk, and the overall grim atmosphere of the room. "... Their chakra trail ends just outside the village gates," It finally said. "There are no traces of scuffles or of kidnappers beyond that. The Gate guards saw nothing either. It's like they completely vanished."

The silence that filled the room was so heavy it could have been cut with a Kunai. The toad cleared its throat, looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry to say this, Hokage-sama, but all the evidence leads only to one conclusion. Hatake Sakumo and his son have both left Konoha... of their own free will."

The silence thickened. The toad didn't dare look at any of them as it finished its report. "And unless they both did it for a mission or with special clearance, then they've left the village to become nukenins."

* * *

 _ **A/N** :... Aaand cut! XD_

 _A big THANK YOU goes to **Whispering Darkness** and his ever-inspiring story **The life and times of Hatake Kakashi, nukenin** ; my story never would have seen the light of day had I not read yours first. Seriously, you rock big time. *bow*_

 _I want to warn everyone that the updates will be slow and uneven, mostly due to the fact that life got very busy and that I'm paddling in the dark about this fic. This is my first Naruto story and it's talking about a character I know almost to nothing about, so I'll be building him (and everything else) from scratch. I will be writing this as inspiration strikes. Please be patient with me! XD_

 _That about sums it up, I guess. Until next time guys, I hope you enjoyed this! ^^_

 _AF_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** Sorry for the long delay, but politics and I don't go well together and it took me almost a month to hack out a meeting which looked decent enough to pass to my eyes. Hopefully I won't have to address that part of the plot too much in the future..._

 _ **Disclaimer** : Written at the start of chapter 1._

 _Enjoy the chapter! ^^_

* * *

Despite the Sandaime's best efforts to keep everything under wraps, the news of the Hatake clan's desertion somehow managed to spread in Konoha like wildfire.

Most of the villagers were happy to say good riddance whenever the White Fang was mentioned. The man was responsible for the war that now loomed over them, and because of him, many would die to mop up his mistake. Whispers of retaliation were already being passed around among the more vengeful ones, and the sight and sound of so many Kunais being dreamily sharpened had many civilians hurry to their homes with pale faces.

Likewise, D-rank missions momentarily diminished as gramps and grannies saved their money to stock up on hair tincture. Living in a shinobi village had taught them many things, one of them being that drunk ninjas could get dangerous if part of yourself resembled that of a well-known enemy. Hence, the white hair that came with old age quickly got hidden behind false colors, and those married with ninja even went so far as to match the carpet with the curtains. Just in case.

But the village's gloomy atmosphere and the tension between its inhabitants were nothing in comparison to what had the Hokage worried.

Shimura Danzo was a dangerous man to cross paths with. He was as merciless in his views as he was in his ways, and Sakumo's departure was sure to send him on a blood feud against the Hatake Clan. This treason also gave him the perfect opportunity to wrestle the Hokage seat out of Hiruzen's grasp, because he needed the position in order to shape the village to his own ideals. Failing that, Sarutobi didn't doubt he would try to push his own decisions on him through the combined support of the Clan Heads. Whatever it may be, the Hokage knew that the upcoming Council meeting would be a hard one for his weary forty-five years old self.

And that was exactly what happened.

After basically telling everyone present that Sakumo's departure was Hiruzen's fault due to his soft heart and pacific ways, Danzo stood up and proposed ( _demanded_ with a slammed fist, rather) that an assassination party be sent after the Hatake family.

To him, Konoha had to make an example out of Sakumo to deter anymore shinobi from following him out, as well as keep enemy villages from getting their hands on him. And if Kakashi refused to go back to work under the village's authority, then he would get the same fate as his father. Having one traitor was humiliating enough; two of them was simply intolerable, and would make the village look _weak_ if it couldn't deal with them accordingly. The village had to take action before news of the White Fang's treason reached the ears of their enemies.

The words struck deep. And Hiruzen hated them all the more for being true.

It didn't help that his own advisors heartily approved, and that most Clan Heads were also learning towards Danzo's offer.

The Nara, Akimichi and Yamanaka Clan Heads started throwing ideas around for possible ways to catch the traitor. The Uchiha Clan Head quickly joined them, followed by the Hyuuga Clan Head, and in their attempt to one-up each other, the two rival clans ended up turning the debate into an argument that drew everyone but the Aburame Clan Head into the fray. Danzo looked amused by the turn of events (if one counted the slight uplifting of his lips as such) and settled back in his chair to watch the chaos unfold around the table.

Hiruzen just wanted to palm his face and groan at the absurdity of it all. Instead, he turned a deaf ear to the bickering Councilmen, put his chin in his hands and pondered.

Normally, he would have agreed with Danzo and sent his Hunter-nins after the Hatake Clan head to have him executed. But this was _Sakumo_ they were talking about; the one man who would (and did) go through hell and back to protect the village and his comrades. The White Fang had proven many times in the last war that he could be trusted, and Hiruzen could not, in good conscience, order his execution in cold blood when the Hatake had saved so many lives on the battlefield. It went against everything he stood for.

It also put him in a delicate position.

He refused to believe that the elder Hatake had turned rogue on a whim, like Danzo kept proclaiming. But he could not, as Hokage, let the man go unpunished for deserting Konoha either; it was law (and common sense) that any shinobi turned rogue would be put down to preserve the village's safety. So what could he do to calm the Clan Heads, secure his position as village leader _and_ help Sakumo evade capture all at the same time?

 _What to do, what to do..._

He glanced up when silence befell the room, and narrowed them when he found everyone looking back at him expectantly.

"Your opinion on the case, Hokage-sama?"

Crap.

If he spoke, everyone would think he was playing favoritism and his position as Hokage would be greatly compromised. If he didn't, Konoha as a whole would go after Sakumo's hide, and all chances to find a better solution to this mess would go down the drain. He was at an impasse.

 _An idea,_ he thought desperately even as he opened his mouth to speak. _I need an idea, and I need it_ now _._

Jiraiya burst into the room at that moment with pressing news about Iwa spies moving through Kusagakure no kuni, and Hiruzen, struck by inspiration, grabbed a nearby ink brush to write _flee-on-sight_ orders on Sakumo and Kakashi's files while everyone was distracted. By some miraculous stroke of double luck, his student also hogged all the attention just long enough for him to slip the papers to his ANBU Commander with mute orders to paste them into the Bingo Book. Danzo didn't notice anything, and when he did, it was already too late.

Before he could protest, the Hokage rose from his chair and stated that Hatake Sakumo was one of their most powerful shinobi, which meant he was too dangerous to be taken on by anyone else other than him and his students. Konoha also could not afford to lose a single shinobi when it needed every Genin, Chuunin, Jounin and ANBU operative to face the upcoming war; the _flee-on-sight_ orders were placed there exactly to prevent losses on the Leaf's side.

Sarutobi ran his gaze across every Clan Head as he said this, and leaked a bit of killing intent to back his decision. The warning was clear: failure to keep away from Hatake Sakumo would get foolish shinobi uselessly killed, and the Hokage would personally ensure that dire consequences befell those who survived the encounter. A fight between Konoha and its former White Fang was one thing, but an all-out war between three of the five grand nations (maybe even _more_ ) was something else altogether. It was also the bigger priority at the moment, and everyone had to remember that.

The Hokage walked out on that note with Jiraiya to go organize his troops for a frontal assault against the Land of Rock on the borders of Fire Country. The Bingo Book got updated right after his departure, and Hiruzen hoped it would be enough to protect father and son for the time being.

The look Danzo threw at his back as everyone else left the room clearly stated that this was far from over.

 **TT**

"Dad," Kakashi piped up from his place on Sakumo's back, two weeks into their new lifestyles. "There's a shinobi camp right ahead of us."

"I know. I smell it too." The elder Hatake stopped on a branch and looked around, on the lookout for patrol squads. "It seems Iwa has finally made it into Fire Country."

Kakashi too was eyeing their surroundings. He drew out a Kunai. "... Do we engage them?"

"No. There are too many of them to make this a quick fight. They would also have time to send notice of our position, and then every shinobi in this forest would be after us."

"Why not pick them out one by one?"

"A good idea, but the absences will be quickly noticed."

"Inside-out sabotage then?"

"It's risky for someone even of my caliber. And no, Kakashi, you're not going behind enemy lines in my stead. Don't even think about it."

Kakashi's hopeful expression turned sour. He crossed his arms. "Hmphf."

Sakumo turned his head to look at him with a raised brow. "... Feeling bloodthirsty, son?"

"... I'm a ninja. I'm a born fighter." Came the grumbled response. "Running away from the enemy feels wrong, even if we have to keep a low profile as missing-nins."

The White Fang smiled at that. _Like father, like son._ "True. But missing-nin or not, a ninja must also learn to be patient, and believe me, you'll get your fair share of battles soon enough. Besides," he added, standing up again. "Your stealth skills are only high Chuunin level, my boy. A prodigy you may be, but you still lack the experience to cover your tracks well enough for Jounins, ANBU and Hunter-nin to miss them. I'm not letting you off my back until you excel in that area."

That last part closed the subject. Kakashi could protest all he wanted, but the sad fact was, Sakumo was right. Until the young Hatake mastered the art of stealth, letting him travel on foot would spell death for both of them. Hence the piggyback ride from point A to point B whenever they had to move off.

The White Fang felt his son slump forward to wrap his arms around his neck, and almost chuckled at the sulky atmosphere emanating from his back. He took off again, angling right for a long detour around their enemy.

Still, the Iwa camp didn't leave his mind. Konoha had to be unaware of this security breach, otherwise the area would have swarmed with leaf shinobi long before they even got there. For Iwa shinobi to have gone so far unnoticed like this, it meant either the Hidden Leaf had its troops occupied elsewhere, or this infiltration into Fire Country was hours-recent. Sakumo hoped it was the latter, otherwise the village would have a nasty surprise very soon.

He pondered a moment longer and made his decision. "Kakashi."

"Yes?"

"... Have you ever wondered why we Hatakes possess White Chakra?"

 **TT**

Hiruzen stared at the messenger Chuunin kneeling in front of him with shock. "A whole camp, you say?"

"Yes, sir. An Iwa camp was found fifteen miles into Fire Country from Takigakure's borders two days ago. The odd part about it is that all its members, including the guards and patrol squads, are nowhere to be seen, despite footprints on the ground hinting at their presence. Even their medics disappeared."

"... I see. Do you have any ideas as to who or what could possibly have caused this?"

The Chuunin knelt even lower. "We apologize, Hokage-sama. Squad thirty-four is investigating the scene along with Squad twenty-two, and Squad eighteen, nineteen and twenty are combing the forest for trails, but so far no one knows anything."

"Headcount?"

"Estimated to one hundred shinobi, give or take a few missing cots."

That was all the Hokage needed to know. He dismissed the Chuunin with orders to review and tighten security over Konoha's borders, as well as have the troops avoid the place until more information could be found.

He rose from his chair to go look over the village from his office's window. A hand went behind his back while the other rose to hold his pipe pensively. _No one knows anything, huh?_

There was only one shinobi he knew of who could achieve such a deed and yet never be linked to it. Hatake Sakumo could take down a foe in many ways, and one of them was with White Chakra. Hiruzen wasn't supposed to know this of course, but having a crystal ball had its perks. The Iwa camp was Sakumo's handiwork, he was sure of it.

But why did the White Fang target the whole camp? Sarutobi could understand if it was one or two dozen shinobi (Sakumo had a lot of enemies and Kakashi needed the practice), but taking down all one hundred of them? It just didn't make any sense.

The Sandaime felt a headache coming and pinched the bridge of his nose. Another drag of pipe and a ring of smoke later, the Hokage sat back in his chair and sighed. His gaze wandered to the ceiling and stayed there, lost and uncomprehending.

"What are you thinking about, Sakumo?" he murmured into the empty room.

 **TT**

"What are you thinking about, dad?"

Sakumo stopped staring ahead and looked down at his son, the latter comfortably nestled in his arms. They sat at the crook of a thick branch high up in a tree; they would pass the night there and resume their travel at dawn. "Hokage-sama."

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"

"It's been a week since we took down the Iwa camp. A patrol must have long discovered the place by now."

"But there's more to it, isn't there?" the boy pressed.

"... Yes, there is." Sakumo sighed. "The Sandaime has an impressive memory. He knows each and every Hidden Leaf shinobi that are under his command, from the weakest Genin of the year to the most powerful ANBU. Unfortunately, he is also very familiar with my skills, and though I could never confirm it, I believe he knows about the hidden ability of the Hatake Clan's White Chakra."

Kakashi frowned for a moment, before his eyes widened. "... He knows you did this, doesn't he?"

Sakumo nodded gravely. "Most likely."

"... Damn."

A heavy hand fell onto his head and ruffled his hair. "Hey, it's not over for us yet. We're still alive and free, are we not?"

"... Yeah." Kakashi cast a wary glance at their surroundings before a yawn overtook him, leaving him sleepy-eyed and somewhat grumpy. "And I intend to stay that way for the rest of my life, thank you very much."

Sakumo chuckled.

A little hand gripped his vest tightly. "That goes for you too, dad. Keep on living by my side, okay?"

"Now, that's something I can't promise you, because life has the bad habit of throwing trouble at me when I least expect it." the White Fang joked, trying to ease the lump suddenly stuck in his throat. "But I promise to try."

"Not good enough. Swear it." Kakashi stared at him in the eye with something hot and fierce and _burning_ , and Sakumo's breath hitched, unable to look away. "You promised not to leave me behind, but you'll break that promise if you die of anything other than old age. Oaths can't be bent or broken. _Swear_ it, dad."

The White Fang swallowed. An oath was very serious business and not something to be taken lightly. _Ever_. "... You're asking the impossible of me, son. I have no pride left, remember?"

Kakashi stilled. He broke eye contact to look down at his hands, suddenly looking very unsure of himself. Sakumo blinked at his scalp. "... Kakashi?"

"You... You really have no pride left? None at all?"

"None, unfortunately."

A pause.

"... Does that mean you're not proud of me anymore, either?" came the small voice.

Sakumo's eyes went wide. "What? _No!_ Of _course_ I'm proud of you, son! I've never..." he trailed off. Kakashi looked at him uncertainly.

Only to jump when his dad burst into laugher. "Hey!"

The White Fang ignored his son's indignant squawks and kept laughing, palming his face with his free hand. _I'm such an idiot_ , he thought.

And he was. Sakumo knew he had fallen hard when disgrace had socked him in the head, but he never thought the following concussion had left him _this_ much affected. How could he have been so _blind_ as to not see what was right under his nose all this time _?_

 _Y_ _ou were right, Sandaime-sama. Children are, and will always be,_ _the true holders of the Will of Fire._

"I swear it," he snorted out a good minute later, wiping at his eyes _which wouldn't stop crying_ , "I swear to you, my son, that I will live by your side no matter what. You'll be stuck with me for the rest of your life, through good and bad times, and when I die of old age I will come back to keep you company with my soul, so that you will never be alone. Hatake Kakashi, do you accept my oath?"

It was Kakashi's turn to stare. That fiery spark in his eyes was gone, and they shone with a glint of something the elder man couldn't quite put his finger on.

His voice trembled as he spoke, "Yes. Yes, Hatake Sakumo, I accept your oath, and will hold you to your words for as long as I live. Thank you... father."

The watched the sun slowly set and listened to the cricket's soothing night chorale. The younger Hatake was quick to fall asleep, safe in the knowledge that no matter what, they would always be together from now on. Sakumo kept an ear out for trouble and watched him rest with a smile, feeling much more at ease than he had in a very long time.

When he was sure that the bundle in his arms was deeply, truly asleep, he leaned down to kiss his snowy head and murmured, "No. Thank _you_ , Kakashi... my son, and the pride of my life."

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Ah, little Kakashi, how I love thee. *hugs*_

 _Seeing as I have not found any info on the abilities of White Chakra, I decided to give it one rather than let it stand as one of the defining traits of the Hatake Clan. Kakashi's heritage is something his father unfortunately took to his grave in the manga, so that's gonna be one of the first changes in my story. But I won't be uncovering that secret for a good while, so you'll have to ponder until then XD_

 _Until next chapter, guys! Don't hesitate to leave a review if you like the story so far! ^^_

 _AF_


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